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Late-Night Butterscotch Sundaes with Virginia Peanuts

Pat: The name of this decadent sundae speaks for itself. The recipe serves four, and makes a nostalgic dessert that will drive your dinner guests wild. But I’ll tell you something—when that silky sauce is sittin’ in the fridge, calling out my name, it serves one! I’ve already confessed my fondness for late-night desserts, and I can only think of one other thing I’d rather be doing in the middle of the night. Although you can use any roasted peanuts in this recipe, try to seek out Virginia nuts. They have a crispy snap all their own, and a peanut flavor that can’t be beat.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup Butterscotch Sauce (recipe follows)
3/4 cup salted Virginia peanuts, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons Jack Daniel’s
1 pint vanilla or chocolate ice cream
Chopped toffee candy bar (such as Heath Bar), for garnish

Butterscotch Sauce

1 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch salt
(makes about 1 1/2 cups)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Warm the Butterscotch Sauce in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir 1/2 cup of the peanuts and the whiskey into the sauce. Scoop ice cream into four sundae dishes, and spoon sauce over the top. Sprinkle the sundaes with the reserved peanuts and with toffee candy.

  2. Butterscotch Sauce

    Step 2

    Heat the brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a small saucepan, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in the cream, and remove from heat. Add the vanilla, lemon juice, and salt, and stir to combine. Serve the sauce warm or at room temperature over ice cream. Store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 week. Add a few tablespoons of cream or water to loosen, if necessary, when reheating.

From Down Home with the Neelys by Patrick and Gina Neely Copyright (c) 2009 by Patrick and Gina Neely Published by Knopf. Patrick and Gina Neely are owners of Neely's Bar-B-Que in Memphis and hosts of several Food Network shows, including the series Down Home with the Neelys, one of the highest-rated programs to debut on the popular Food Network. High school sweethearts who reconciled at their ten-year reunion, they have been married since 1994. They live in Memphis with their two daughters. Paula Disbrowe collaborated with Susan Spicer on Crescent City Cooking and is the author of Cowgirl Cuisine.
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